Nourish one another

devānbhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥparasparaṃ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ paramavāpsyatha

Nourish the devas with this offering, and let the devas nourish you. Caring for one another, you will reach the highest good.

What it means

Krishna describes a circle of giving. Devas are the powers of nature and life, the forces that sustain us. Through yajna, offering, we nourish them. In turn, they nourish us. Rain, harvest, health. Neither side thrives alone. The highest good, he says, comes from this mutual care.

The story

Krishna is teaching Arjuna that action is not lonely striving. It is participation in a vast web of giving and receiving. Arjuna's duty, too, is part of that web. Stepping out of it would break a circle others depend on.

In your life

Think of a community garden where everyone waters a bed and everyone takes home tomatoes. Nobody is keeping score, and everyone is fed. Find one circle you belong to and give something back this week.